A Yarra Ranges chainsaw artist sculpted a powerful owl from the trunk of a tree in the Mount Evelyn Recreation Reserve.

Rob Bast created the artwork earlier this year, thanks to funding from the Yarra Ranges Council’s Grants for Community.

Mount Evelyn Environmental Protection and Progress Association’s (MEEPPA) Clare Worsnop said the sculpture featured the animals that called the forest home, while the base featured animals and insects that lived in the nearby Olinda Creek, such as platypus.

“From a piece of wood into this, the transition is enormous – we’re thrilled with it and thrilled with the response we’re getting,” Ms Worsnop said.